


I Warned You James

by tigereyes45



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Emotional Hurt, I just want Glynda around, I miss her, okay?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-11
Updated: 2020-02-11
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:54:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22669636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tigereyes45/pseuds/tigereyes45
Summary: Atlas fell, Mantle barely survived and Glynda well she finally made her way out of Vale. As she walks through the destruction alone she can't help but imagine him and all the excuses he would have given if Ironwood had survived.If she had been there.
Relationships: Glynda Goodwitch & James Ironwood
Comments: 4
Kudos: 12





	I Warned You James

“I warned you, James. I just never thought you would take my words so hard to your heart.” Glynda walks through the remains of Atlas as ashes cling to her uniform. As she reaches the first of many destroyed pieces of Atlas Academy, Glynda hesitates. Why did she feel such a need to come here? Vale was still recovering, yes Port could handle the school while she’s gone, and Qrow had told her everything in his report.

So why was she here? Deep down did she hope to see his ghost? A mirage of the man she once knew before the world got to him in such an extreme way. As she steps around the crushed front door his voice accompanies her steps.

“I tried Glynda. I tried to trust.” She looks towards both of the giant halves of the arena. Even from her spot on the ground, she could see bodies hanging off the ends. People no one else had time to get to yet. Faces that will never smile again. Never be seen again.

“I trusted Penny and Winter. The girl in the red hood. I trusted Ozpin.”

“Never truly.” She reminds the figment. Closing her eyes Glynda could remember the ugliest face she ever saw Ironwood make out of anger. She raises The Disciplinarian. With slow, focused movements the bodies float off the metal and concrete they had died on. Even the face she conjures for him probably wasn’t accurate. James had a skill for scaring anyone who crossed him but never had he ever dared try to cross her.

As the bodies lie down softly in the snow their bodies make a horrible squish and a crunch. His own body was somewhere else. Buried under several feet of snow by down. Hopefully one of the hunters or huntresses will be able to make it back out here to collect these poor souls before they too become buried.

“They betrayed me Glynda. Ozpin lied!” Her hallucination shouts at her back. “They betrayed me and they’ll betray you too.”

A smile can’t help but creep onto her face. Maybe she had taken her imagination to far, but it sounds exactly like the sort of thing he would warn against. When he couldn’t handle something he pressed on. Again and again, he would push through warning everyone of the things that had tripped him like they were trees in the woods. He never saw what those small things actually were, roots. They were roots there to keep the tree round. Small and barely noticeable, but so easy to avoid once you spy them. James barking about trees, when all there was were roots and foot sized holes digging under them. She knows he wasn’t stable. He had always had the tendency to doubt those with power when he had none. Once he gained it the doubt became paranoia of all those around. Everyone was who he used to be, looking to take what he had now. Maybe if she had focused more on re-establishing contact with the world he would still be here. Maybe if she had come sooner, he would have talked and complained. Loudly probably, but after he would rest at least for a moment. Rest and listen to those with the levelness in their heads he had given up on so long ago. She knew that he wasn’t as prepared for Oz to disappear as he thought. None of them had been as prepared as they thought. First Lionheart, and now Ironwood. 

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you James.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first real thing I've written for RWBY. Let me know what you think. All constructive criticism is welcomed.


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